May the Sun shine upon your road
by ImMelethLegolas
Summary: Legolas experiences the one thing he had never belived possible, he falls in love, deeply. But what if that love is forbidden? Will he and the woman of his effection be able to resist what they feel for each other? Or will they suffer the consequences?
1. Chapter 1

_Mae Govannen:__ Well Met_

_Im:__ I_

_Nin estar:__ they call me_

_Pedil:__ thou speakest_

_Edhellen:__ Elvish_

_Pelargir:__ The great port of Gondor_

Pedin i phith al-rim rennin uin haedad Elrond: I speak the words not-many I remember from the teachings of Elrond

Mellon nîn: my friend

The preparations for the festivities had gone on since the crack of dawn. Many guests from near and far were expected, and therefore Éowyn wanted everything to be perfect. The occasion for the feast was nothing in particular, merely a way of bringing old friends whom had not met for a long time, together again. Since the end of the war of the Ring many of these friends had only met a few times, others not at all. And three of these friends she knew really needed to meet again. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli… a man, an Elf and a Dwarf. Races that against all odds had become close friends, caring deeply for one another. Two of them now so heavily occupied with rebuilding what little was left of their Kingdoms, and the third always on travelling foot, that they simply had no means of staying in touch like they would have whished. This she knew grieved them all deeply. Not to mention Aragorn and Gimli's concern for Legolas ever growing torment which the sea-longing had caused him ever since Pelargir. Both were afraid of loosing their best friend, yet both knew with painful certainty that they could not ask of him to stay, nor could they do anything to make him forget the calling of the Sea. No one could.  
With all of this in mind Éowyn therefore decided to arrange this gathering and bring them all together. She looked out the window just in time to see the first guests arrive, and with a smile she rushed down to greet her little friends from the Shire, Merry, Pippin and Sam.

As the sun began to set the Golden hall of Meduseld was getting crowded, and the warm laughter of old friends was filling the hall. All had arrived but one, and Éowyn genuinely hoped his absence was merely due to late arrival.  
She saw the look in Aragorn and Gimli´s eyes as the hour was getting late and Legolas was no where to be seen. And just as she finished that thought the Elf stepped through the door, and Éowyn let out a sigh of relief as she approached him.  
"Legolas, I am so glad to see you, welcome"

The Elf bowed gracefully "My Lady, forgive my late arrival"

"There is nothing to forgive, I am truly glad you could come, now go find your friends, eat, drink and enjoy yourself"

Legolas smiled at his host and set about finding Aragorn and Gimli in the crowded room. Éowyn's eyes followed him, and a smile came upon her lips as she saw the warm embraces in which the three friends greeted each other. Now there was only one person missing, why had she not yet joined the festivities? She could not still be dressing… could she? So Éowyn went and knocked on the door to the guestroom before stepping inside. The slender yet bewitching woman was standing by the window in the room, staring out into the night.

"Númi?" Éowyn asked, approaching her dear friend, "what is the matter?"

The woman turned around and her eyes were filled with dismay.  
"I feel ridiculous Éowyn" she said with a hint of anger in her voice. The sight of her friends' beauty took Éowyn's breath away and she had to blink a few times to believe what she was seeing.

"Ridiculous? What would possess you to say so? Númi you look so beautiful you take my breath away. My dress fits you perfectly"

"That is just it, I have never willingly worn one before, and I am not particularly keen on wearing one now, no matter how beautiful it is, or presumably makes me look. I feel uncomfortable, naked even!"

"Now you are being silly, I know this sort of clothing is as far away from your ordinary wardrobe as one can possibly get. But wearing a dress for one evening as a courtesy to me, will hardly kill you Númi"

The sceptical look on her friends face made Éowyn burst into laughter, although Númi seemed all but amused, "It is only for a few hours my dear friend, now get out there and start enjoying yourself", she finished while pushing the reluctant woman out the door.

"Alright, alright… but if I make a complete fool of myself it will be on your conscience dear friend!"

"Sweet Númi", Éowyn answers almost choking with laughter, "you do not know how to make a fool of yourself"

And once they were out the door and Éowyn closed it behind them the uncertainty had completely vanished from her friends' appearance. It was only her deep green eyes that shot arrows of dismay at Éowyn, but by the time they reached the huge hall, one could have believed that Númi had never worn anything but dresses in her life.

The instant their eyes met across the room Legolas forgot everything around him, it was like everyone had suddenly vanished but her. Aragorn was in the midst of telling a joke that just a second ago had made the Elf laugh heartedly, when he realized that his friends' attention suddenly shifted and that his laughter had died out in the midst of it, as if he had suddenly lost his breath. The look on Legolas face was of a kind he had never before seen, a look he could not interpret. It was as if the Elf had frozen in time and space, lost to everything and everyone around him, but the subject of his gaze.

Aragorn raised an eyebrow and exchanged a perplexed look with Gimli, whom had also noticed the sudden change in his friend. And both were thinking the same thought, but some how the expression in Legolas eyes told them that this was not the sea calling, besides he was not looking to the west. So what was it then that so completely had caught their friends' attention? Aragorn turned his head looking the same direction his friend was, and saw her. A huge smile curled his lips and he forgot all about Legolas as he made his way towards his cousin.

"Númi!" Aragorn drew her in too a warm embrace, which she gladly answered.

"Look at you, all grown up. I have not seen you since you were a young girl"

"Yet you do not seem to have aged a day Aragorn" Númi answered with a smile.

Aragorn gazed at the beautiful woman in front of him, remembering the wild child she had been so many years ago. A beauty even then, and no matter how hard Elrond had tried to make a lady out of her, she had refused in every possible way. Preferring to play with sword and bow with the other boys, no matter how angry she made her foster father. Suddenly he realized he had only once seen her in a dress, and he smiled at the memory of the one time Elrond had tried to make her wear one. All of Imladris had heard her outraged outburst, then watched as she had ran out to the balcony where she knew all whom whished would see her. There she had torn the beautiful gown of her self and ripped it into peaces. All the while screaming at the top of her lungs _"I am not wearing a dress, and you can not make me!"_ Needless to say, Elrond did not try again. A short time after that Aragorn had left Imladris to go to war, and had not seen her since.

And now here she was, as breathtaking as ever, wearing a dress. Númi saw the amused look in his eyes as he gazed at her dress, and knew of what he was thinking. She smiled fondly and said "Do not go there cousin, I know of what you are thinking!"

Aragorn understood the hint and dropped the comment he had in mind, and instead drew her into yet another loving embrace before saying "Come, meet my dearest friends"

They walked over to where Legolas and Gimli were standing, noticing the stunned expression written all over their faces. He smiled at the obvious questions in their eyes, "My dear friends" he said with withheld laughter in his voice, "meet my cousin/…"

"Your cousin?!" Gimli cut off, dropping his chin even further.

"Yes master Dwarf, his cousin, and it is a true pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Númi" she replied holding out her hand to shake his. "The pleasure is all mine my Lady, I am Gimli son of Glóin" Gimli answered, taking her hand and kissing it.

Legolas had still not been able to take his eyes of her, so when she turned to him and their eyes locked he felt his heart skip a few beats, and he was unable to speak. Númi saw this and smiled, knowing she would have to be the first one to speak.

"Mae Govannen, nin estar Númi"

This snapped the Elf out of his voiceless condition.

"Mae Govannen… Im Legolas... pedil Edhellen???

The bewitching being in front of him had the clearest green eyes the Elf had ever seen. And her long wavy hair shifted in all the colours of deep red flames. Her skin was touched by sunshine, and he guessed that she spent most of her time outdoors. Had he looked a little closer he might have noticed her perfectly shaped body, slim and female, yet hard and shaped by muscles. But all Legolas could apprehend at that moment was her eyes and all of the emotions that reflected within them. He could not bring himself to stop staring into them. Númi's eyes did not let go of the hold she had on his blue elven eyes even for an instant, and the look in hers was straight forward and intense. Intense in a way one does not encounter in a regular person… especially not in a Lady. There was something there that puzzled him, that told him that there was more to this beauty then met the eye. Númi tilted her head slightly to the right and the intensity in her gaze grew even stronger when she answered the Elf's puzzled question.

"Pedin i phith al-rim rennin uin haedad Elrond"

But before the now completely lost Elven prince could come up with an answer to this new and utterly surprising news, Eomér came up to them and greeted Númi with a huge embrace.

"Númi, it has been too long my friend"

Her eyes let go of the Elf's, now instead focusing on Eomér and the spell was broken. The expression on her face was the sheer joy of encountering a long lost and very dear friend, and she warmly hugged him back.

"It has indeed…" she answered warmheartedly.

"You look… magnificent, I almost did not recognize you" Eomér said to her with a hint of tease in his voice, while peering up and down at her in amazement. This statement made the perplexed Elf even more confused.

"_I almost did not recognize you…_ _what did the man mean? Did she not usually look like this?"_ he wondered.

"Why thank you" she answered with a slightly poisonous touch to her voice, which made Eomér burst into laughter.

"Would **the Lady **care to dance?" he asked, still with laughter behind his words.

"Funny, very funny indeed! Lead the way, you!" she answered with acted anger as they left.

Legolas did not know what to believe, the sudden change to her behaviour when Eomér turned up strengthened his feeling that she was not what she seemed to be. This Lady, if that in fact was what she was, was a true enigma. Although what truly puzzled him was the feeling he got watching them dance and laugh together. It was an emotion he could not name, nor could he identify it. Something he had not felt before, a cold, dark shadow filling his heart and mind, and he was so rapped up and bothered by it that he did not notice Aragorn approaching him. So he jumped high in surprise when a hand landed on his shoulder and Aragorn said "Careful mellon nîn, so that those blue elven eyes of yours do not fall out" and smiled at the startled elf. The expression in Legolas eyes however, wiped the friendly smile of Aragorns lips, and he wrinkled his brows in question. What he had seen in his friends eyes, even if only for an instant, he had never seen there before. The Elf's eyes had been almost black and vicious, a trait he did not know Legolas to possess. What had called forth that state of mind in his friend? And even if the glimpse had vanished after an instant, it had caught Aragorn by surprise and made him loose his footing.

"Aragorn…" Legolas said still somewhat perplexed, "did you say something?"

When his friend did not reply Legolas noticed the shocked look in his eyes as Aragorn stared at him, and got worried "Aragorn? Are you alright?"

Aragorn decided to let the matter rest, noticing that his friend obviously was not aware of the look he had given him a minute ago. "Yes, mellon nîn I am fine, maybe a beer to many. But how about you? Are you alright?" The elf instantly picked up on the tease in his voice and put on a tricky smile "What about me Aragorn?"

"Oh come now Legolas! Had I not interrupted you when I did, we would have had to pick up your eyes from the floor!"

Legolas felt his face grow deep red and hot, and suddenly did not know where to look, so his embarrassed gaze landed on his feet. Aragorn resisted the impulse to laugh out loud as he saw his closest friends' obvious embarrassment. Instead he grasped his shoulders making their eyes lock as Legolas looked up, and said "Númi has always been a beauty Legolas, now… she is bewitching. You were by no means alone in staring at her."

Legolas tried to smile but failed miserably, feeling like an elfling caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He had not been aware of his own staring; all he had apprehended was this beauty and her green eyes. The rest was a bit blurry to him. He hastily took a step backwards to get loose from Aragorns grip and said with a thick voice "Goheno nin, but I believe I need a huge beer", and descended as quickly yet gracefully as he could bring himself to manage. Gimli walked up to Aragorn "Mind telling me what that was all about?"

"I would if I myself knew Gimli…" he answered as he watched Legolas sink a huge beer and then yet another. The Elf looked really shaken.

"Should I be worried?" The concern in the Dwarfs voice could not be mistaken. And although Aragorn himself was a bit stunned by the Elfs sudden urge to flee, he did not wish to worry Gimli any further, so he put on a convincing smile and said "No my friend, I believe he will be fine", even if Aragorn wondered if he said it to calm Gimli or himself. Gimli was about to protest, and Aragorn had no desire to continue the discussion at this point, feeling he might give away his own concerns, so he quickly suggested they have another beer hoping his short friend would drop the matter for the time being. Gilmi gave him a stern look, but understanding the hint he accepted without further discussion.

Númi, although dancing and seemingly enjoying herself, had also noticed what had happened between the two friends. Her gaze might have left the Elf, but she had still had him in her eyesight without anyone noticing it. Now she saw him standing by the barrels of beer trying not to look her way, yet not quite managing. She thought of letting his torment go on for yet a little while longer, but decided her own curiosity was more important. So she thanked Eómer for the dance, and went outside the gates of the Golden Hall to look at the stars and catch some fresh air. As she had anticipated Legolas soon joined her, standing beside her in utter silence. She smiled to herself, wondering if she would have to be the one to start a conversation yet again. But decided that the silence was quite nice in contrast to the noise in the hall, so she kept quiet.

After a while Legolas began feeling uneasy from the silence between them _"Ai… there are so many a things I wish to ask you, but I cannot seem to find the words. By Valar, what is wrong with me?!"_ he thought. He did not move a muscle, yet Númi picked up on his discomfort.

"I do not bite you know" she said turning her head towards him with a disarming smile on her lips. Legolas felt he was beginning to blush and thanked Valar for the darkness of the night. He felt her gaze on him and knew it would be rude not to meet her eyes, so he swallowed and nervously looked into them. There was nothing but kindness in them, kindness and warmth. He felt himself relaxing a little, yet still did not know what to say to her. His heart was pounding so fast and hard he was almost afraid she might hear it. He was baffled by his own feelings, by the way his body and mind was reacting to this beautiful woman beside him. No matter how much he tried to make sense of it, he simply could not understand it.

Their eyes were locked again, none of them wishing to turn their gaze away. Suddenly a hint of tease showed up in hers and she said "Are you always this quiet, or is it merely my presence?"

Legolas wrinkled his eyebrows in surprise, and let out a little chuckle as a shy smile came over his lips "I… no."

Her smile broadened and her eyes began sparkling "So it is my presence then that deprives you of your power of speech?"

To this Legolas did not know what would be a proper and polite answer, so again he said nothing. Númi turned to stand in front of him and reached for his hand. As soon as she took it into hers Legolas yet again felt his heart skip a few beats, for the second time that evening. Her touch was soft yet there was strength to it, and again he got the distinct feeling she was more then met the eye. Her eyes found his again and this time they were serious.

"Legolas… do not let my appearance trick you into believing I am something that I am not. Not all things are what they seem, and I am no exception."

He was about to protest but she softly put a finger on his lips, hindering him as he was finally about to speak.

"Please do not gainsay me lest you know of what you speak, and you do not… Now I bid you goodnight for I have an early morning…" And with this said, she softly caressed his cheek still gazing into his eyes, and then she was gone.

Legolas was stunned… no one had ever effected him like this before. He touched his cheek where her hand had caressed him, and was overwhelmed by emotions he did not understand. His entire being was behaving in a way it had never before. It was a pleasant yet frightening experience he simply could not grasp… _"I must be cheated by some spell, for I do not understand any of this… by Valar… what is happening to me?"_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next morning Legolas awoke to the sound of clashing swords. He rose and walked over to the window facing the court yard, looking down to see what was afoot.

Éomer and two of his soldier friends were doing sword practice. He stood there for a while watching and could not help but notice the skill in which Éomer handled the blade. Legolas had nothing against the Rohirrim man, come to think of it, he even liked him. Except… the memory of the ice cold darkness that had grabbed a hold of his heart and mind whilst watching the Man dancing with Númi, made the Elven prince shiver with discomfort. What had possessed him to react in thus demeanour?

Though now only a memory, the feeling still bothered him in a profound way.

Soon a forth man joined the party of three in the court yard, only this one was very thin in comparison to the others, although not in height; and was wearing a helmet so Legolas could not make out who he was. Suddenly the playing got serious, and Legolas quickly realised that whom ever this fourth member was, the others had the utmost respect for him. He also understood that he was their trainer. The Elf watched in amazement as this tiny man brought them all down, one after the other, disarming them as if they were mere beginners or children. This he had to see from a closer view, so he put the rest of his clothes on and ran downstairs to the yard where he quietly sat down not to disturb anyone.

Soon Aragorn and Gimli joined him, staring in utter disbelief at the event taking place before them. None of the three friends could believe what they were witnessing, a person so meagre bringing down three experienced warriors seemingly without breaking a sweat.

"Who is this… this… tiny person?" Gimli wanted to know, peering at Aragorn as if he naturally would know the answer. But Aragorn only shook his head "I do not know, but whom ever he is I wish to try my luck with him"

"Ai" Legolas agreed, "As would I"

Éomer noticed the company staring at them, and decided he had, had enough practice for that morning, and walked over to them. He knew none of them knew who was behind the helmet, so with an innocent smile he asked "Anyone care to try their luck?"

The small man was now facing them and Legolas could almost swear he was smiling behind the metal helmet. "Who is he?" he wanted to know.

"Oh, he will properly introduce himself once practice is over" Éomer answered.

"I will go up against him" Aragorn said with a confident smile drawing his sword.

The little man raised his in polite acceptance.

Aragorn walked over to him and the game began. It was however a short fight, for very soon Aragorn made an insignificant mistake and his opponent sent his sword flying. Shortly after that Aragorn found himself lying on his back on the ground with the tip of meagre mans sword at his throat. The stranger stepped away and offered his hand to help Aragorn up.

"Anyone else? Or should we let the winner choose?" Éomer asked.

"Let the winner choose" said Aragorn whilst picking up his sword and walking back to the others. The stranger looked at them, then slowly raised his sword pointing it at Legolas.

"I fight with my two knifes or not at all" was the Elf's answer.

The stranger accepted with a gracious bow, and Legolas rose from the ground drawing his knifes. The fight began with the two competitors circling and seeking weaknesses in the other, or at least so it seemed, for the lean man was merely waiting for Legolas to make a move. It was a game of cat and mouse, and once the Elven prince made his move the fight got fast and intense as the weapons crashed into each other with a speed almost impossible for the viewers to follow. The sound of metal against metal filled the air, yet Legolas got the distinct feeling his opponent was merely toying with him, no matter how serious the fight seemed, as if to prove he was not a match for the lithe man. "You are playing with me…!" the Elf angrily hissed in a close encounter, and got the answer by one of his knifes flying up in to the air and landing in his opponents' free hand. The fight ceased for a second as the two fighters stared at each other, and Legolas eyes shot arrows of rage. Without taking his eyes of the Elf, the stranger handed the lost knife to Éomer, and the fight resumed. A minute later Legolas lost his remaining weapon and found himself standing with his back against the staircase stonewall with the tip of a sword at his throat, not sure how he had ended up there.

There was complete silence and one could almost touch the tension in the air, till the baffled Elf finally found his voice and asked "Who are you?!"

Without removing the sword from Legolas throat the stranger came up close to him and whispered through the helmet "Feel free to gainsay me anytime you wish, now that you know of what you speak, mellon nîn" then removed the helmet letting out a cascade of long deep red hair.

"Númi?!" the party of three called out simultaneously in surprise.

Her eyes locked his Elven blue's and she smiled at the genuine expression of surprise and perplexed disbelief written all over his beautiful face. She lowered her sword and smoothly placed it back in its sheath before making her way over to the others, leaving Legolas feeling weak and confound.

Aragorn grasped her shoulders "How… what… when…?!" his voice was thick with shock.

Númi looked deep into his eyes, and the expression in hers held a strength and determination he had seldom encountered in anyone "Dearest cousin… like you so rightly pointed out last night, you left when I was a mere child and when you returned I was no longer in Imladris. The truth of the matter is I left no more then six months after your departure, to begin my training."

"Your training?!" Aragorn was staggered.

"Yes my training, of which you have just witnessed a small part."

Aragorn opened his mouth to say something, but the tone in Númi's voice would not stand for any objections "I promise to tell you all you wish to know… later! Now you must forgive me, for I have duties to attend to and I do not whish to be late." And with that said she smiled at him, turned around passing Legolas a smile and a one eyed blink on her way towards the stables. She did however notice the almost distraught look in the Elf's eyes, and got the feeling that this mornings fight and discovery had taken its toll on his self-esteem… This was not what she had intended… at all. She had how ever tried to warn him of placing her on a pedestal because of the way she had looked last night. Maybe this rude awakening was exactly what he needed then? The last thing she wished for was to be treated or thought of as a Lady, she was nothing of the kind!

Aragorn turned his gaze at Éomer, and the look in his eyes was a mixture of angered disbelief and a demand for answers. Èomer however looked nothing but amused, smiling his utmost disarming smile.

"How long… have you known this about Númi?!" Aragorn demanded in a berated tone.

"As long as I have known her Aragorn"

"And just how long might that be?"

"About ten years now… I got to know her through Gandalf years before the war of the One Ring began"

"Gandalf?! How…?" Aragorn was so baffled he lost the words he was meaning to speak.

"Yes the wizard believed she would be of great assistance to our army, and he was right"

When Aragorn spoke no further, Gimli took upon himself to fill in what he believed his friend wished to know.

"In what way exactly? Although I believe I have guessed the answer already" he mumbled.

"In the same way she is assisting us at this very moment…" Éomer paused looking towards the sables where Númi was mounting her horse. A huge, wild tempered black stallion that allowed none other then Númi to handle and ride him.

The others followed his gaze and Éomer continued "She is our weapons and battle techniques trainer, and it is thanks to her that Rohans army is as skilled as we are. Believe it or not Aragorn," Éomer turned and faced him, and the expression on his face was dead serious "but we would be long dead if it had not been for her skills in combat."

The two men stared at each other for a while, then the features in Aragorn's face mitigated a little "Thank you for what little you whished to tell me Éomer, I shall ask Númi to fill in the rest"

Éomer bowed and left them to their thoughts.

It was just then that Aragorn realised that Legolas was no longer standing in the same spot where Númi had left him, and his eyes began searching for the Elf whom was nowhere to be seen. Gimli however had paid a bit more attention and had noticed Legolas heavy steps as he had slowly walked away and disappeared outside the gates of Edoras. The Dwarfs eyes had followed his friend until he was passed the gate, and there was something profoundly different in the Elf's posture. There was something about the way he had carried himself that Gimli could not really interpret… it was almost as if Legolas had drawn into himself.

"Gimli, have you seen/"

"He just walked through the gates…" Gimli cut of in a grim voice, and when turning to look at his friend Aragorn noticed that the Dwarf was staring at the gates as if they were a pack of foul beings devouring everyone passing through them.

Legolas was walking aimlessly, almost as if in an unconscious state of mind.

The Elven prince was however all but unconscious, this morning's events had caught him completely by surprise and had given him quit a rude awakening. For the first time in his life he was feeling totally lost emotionally… as if he had lost his footing and the ground around him was spinning faster then he could handle. He was not sure when he had left Edoras; all he knew for certain was that he needed to get away from everyone in an effort to sort out all of the conflicting thoughts and emotions at war inside his body and mind. And as much as he loved and cherished Aragorn's help and advice, this was a battle he intended to fight alone.

When the downhearted Elf finally stopped to see where he was at, to his surprise he found himself not to far away from Edoras, although he believed he had walked for hours. He was however outside of their eyesight, which had been his goal. Against better judgment he looked around for a tree to climb, knowing fully well he would find none no matter how hard he whished otherwise.

Letting out a long and heavy sigh he sat down in the grass looking at the beautiful scenery surrounding him… and found that it gave him no solace. Instead his mind wandered back to the past few hours that so brutally had shaken his foundations. What was it that bothered him so?

Was it the fact that he had lost his first battle since childhood? Or was it that Númi had been speaking the truth when saying that she was not what she seemed to be? Her words haunted him _"Legolas… do not let my appearance trick you into believing I am something that I am not. Not all things are what they seem… and I am no exception."_ Her eyes had been almost lament, as if she had known how he would react to the truth, yet he had not understood the sudden change in them. He had wanted to let her know that he was not very easily fooled, and that what ever it was that gave her that sad expression could not be as bad as she believed. He had wanted to comfort her… yet she had silenced him with the power behind her forthcoming words _"Please do not gainsay me lest you know of what you speak… and you do not."_ Had he only known how right she had been _"Ai by the grace of Valar… I truly did not…" _Legolas closed his eyes and slowly shook his head, understanding even less now than to begin with. Before his closed eyes he saw her green ones and how bewitching she had been last night, and a smile graced his lips. He felt all of the emotions he had then, still not sure what they meant, other then making him feel like he had never before. The image changed into this mornings revealing and the smile faded away… How could he have misjudged Númi so completely? Although… had he really? For the signs had been there all along, he had seen them, felt that something was not right with the image she was displaying. Yet he had chosen not to follow up on them, had he not?

And then this morning… what a fool he had been and now felt like one as well. _"I knew perfectly well that I was practically chanceless when Aragorn was so easily disarmed… and yet like the "invincible" fool I am I was going to show my bravado… well done Legolas!"_ And then it dawned on him, he was feeling not only foolish but ashamed… ashamed that he had lost to Númi! He realised that he would probably not have felt quit as idiotic if the stranger had been someone else. This made him even more angered with himself, for he was not a man whom made differences between male and female warriors. He looked upon them as equal, in every aspect. So why then was he so angry at himself for the fact that she had beaten him? And why this shamefulness? _"Maybe because my superior turned out to be a woman I do not whish to shame myself to…" _His eyes sprang open at that thought… what had he just admitted to himself?! _"Since when do I care if I shame myself, or to whom???" _He shook his head in bewilderment, and yet the thought seemed to feel as natural as breathing. The proud Elf prince suddenly did not wish to let a woman see him as other then invincible? Why on earth for?! He leaped to his feet and started running for the life of him, as if to try and run away from the one thought he knew was true, a thought that frightened him.

Before long he found himself not far from where Rohans army was doing their daily practice with Númi. He came to an immediate halt hoping he would not be noticed so he could sneak away , even though he was standing quite far from them. The feeling of shire panic however was as blown away when he saw the beautiful woman on her black stallion, and he found himself staring in amazement at the skill in which she commanded the soldiers. There was this grace of calm and self-confidence in the way she gave the orders… and though Legolas could not hear her, he could bet his life on the fact that she hardly had to raise her voice for the troops to do her bidding.

He could not help but admire the sight, not to mention her, nor could he tear his eyes from it… it was no less then fascinating. The Elf found himself stranded on the spot, no longer caring if they spotted him or not, as long as he could keep watching. Númi halted the battle practice, and apparently gave the order to instead practice close combat, by first doing a demonstration that nearly gave Legolas a heart attack. She stripped herself of all weapons, and ordered four soldiers to attack her with everything they had. As they did so she began by tripping one of them and at the same time stripping him of his sword so that she could parry the blows from the other three. Next she knocked another of the soldiers to the ground with her free fist, and took his shield, using it to knock another man almost unconscious. Now there were two left, one unarmed and one with a spear. They circled her and simultaneously attacked her from two different directions, she focused on the spear and dogged it with an ease that made Legolas wonder of his own litheness, twisted it out of the soldiers hands and drove the flat end of the shaft into the stomach of the soldier coming at her from behind. In less then a minute she had neutralized all four foes. And all Legolas could do was gape… The other soldiers gave her a round of applause, which she thanked for with a gracious bow, then ordered the company to start practicing. Soon the sun stood high in the sky announcing it to be time for lunch, so the company came to a halt and Númi released them from duty. She mounted her horse and came to a gallop towards the staring Elf whom still had not moved, and was not sure he wished to either, knowing she would eventually spot him where he was standing. Which she naturally did, steering the horse his way and coming to a halt right beside him.

"Mae Govannen Legolas" she said with a dazzling smile.

"Mae Govannen…" he answered shyly.

She dismounted and came to stand in front of him, looking into his eyes that were filled with conflicting emotions. He knew she was reading him and felt quite relived when she did not ask anything other then "Care to walk with me back to Edoras?"

He produced a shy smile and nodded once in agreement, and they started walking side by side in silence once again. Only this time the silence was not as pressuring as before, and Númi knew she had done right by not asking her slender friend any questions he was apparently not ready to answer. _"I wonder how much of today's practice he has witnessed… he seems almost cautious around my presence… in an even more watchful matter then earlier…oh Legolas… did I not warn you... why did you choose not to listen? Ah well, the higher the horse the harder the fall…"_

In all the way back to Edoras they said nothing to each other, but both felt at ease in the other ones presence. Even though Númi was sure that the Elf was on his guard all the time, almost as if he suddenly feared her. This was something she sadly was used to in the men she had encountered in her life… and she had by no means given up the idea of asking him about that, and other matters… once the time was right.

5


	3. Chapter 3

That evening after supper Aragorn seized the opportunity to gain some answers to the pressuring questions that had galled at his mind since that morning. Looking around the lesser crowded hall in search for his cousin, he spotted her by the barrels of wine chatting merrily with Éowyn whilst filling up her goblet. He started towards her approaching from behind so she would not notice him, just in case she would try to dodge him and his demand for answers yet again. Númi however saw him approaching in the corner of her eye, smiling at his obvious attempt at sneaking up on her unnoticed. She waited till he was right behind her with his hand lifted and on its way to grasp her shoulder, before saying "Aragorn! Your ranger skills are getting rusty… I spotted your sneaking before you were half way". His hand froze in its movement and he was completely thunderstruck. She turned around facing him with sparkling eyes and a sly smile on her lips. "Come now cousin, did you truly believe that I have not had my eyes on you all evening knowing you want answers? Come, sit with me outside where there is more privacy and ye shall have them. For my past and the knowledge I possess is not something I wish to share with others… not even your closest friends", she finished with a quick glance at Legolas and Gimli.

For a split of a second her glance met that of the Elf's, and he understood the underlying message of privacy in them. So when Gimli rose in an attempt to follow them Legolas hindered him with a hand on the dwarfs shoulder; still with his eyes fixed on Númi although she had already turned her attention to Aragorn.

"Nay my friend… I do not believe the words that will be spoken are meant for our ears".

The look in the Dwarfs eyes were a mixture of disappointment and annoyance, for he was miserably curious as to where this beautiful cousin of Aragorn's had secured her skills.

"Blasted Elf! Must ya always be so rigorous? Do not even try to lure me into believing that ye yourself are not just as curious as I!"

Once Númi was out of sight from his longing eyes, Legolas turned his attention toward his friend again and smiled at the sight of the grumpy face that met his gaze. "As usual you are right mellon nîn, for I am indeed very much so. However if Númi had intended for us to participate, she would not have excluded us… no?" Had it been physically possible, smoke would have risen from Gimli´s ears, so angered he became from that even more rigorous answer… knowing fully well that the "blasted Elf" was right. He should not strive to stick his nose in matters that did not concern him. Instead of exploding he rose from his seat and went to fill up his mug with foaming beer, all the while muttering about flea infested, know-it-all, blasted, tree hugging Elves. Legolas could only smile at him as his eyes slowly wandered back to the gates where Númi had stepped outside merely a minute ago. He did not know why really, but he felt a tiny bit hurt that Númi so obviously had shown that she did not wish for him to join the conversation and learn about her past. Almost as if she did not want him to get to know her any closer, and he felt a sting of pain in his chest at that notion.

At the same time he knew he was being ridiculous, given the fact that they had known one another little less then twenty-four hours. Why would she share that kind of personal information with a stranger? He would not have done so, so he could not expect her to either. Legolas knew this from a logical point of view, but in his heart he truly desired to find out all there was to know about this amazing woman. The woman to whom he did not wish to shame himself… he still had a hard time accepting that notion, knowing fully well that no matter how frightening and unexpected it might be, it was still very much the truth.

Outside Númi sat down on the stone terrace which was still lukewarm after a whole day of intense sunshine. She clapped on the space next to her in an invite for Aragorn to sit beside her. As he sat down facing her, she felt the tense energy surrounding him and based on his body language and eye movements she knew he was feeling uneasy in her presence. This did not really surprise her as she had disarmed him as easily as taking candy from a small child. Yet feeling her own kin uneasy in her company hurt…

"Alright Aragorn, you have my undivided attention for as long as you wish. Ask me anything you will, I might not answer all you desire to know, but I will try my best to ease your discomfort"

Silently Aragorn wondered if mindreading was also one of Númi's skills, for she had pinpointed his state of mind exactly. While she patiently awaited his first question, Aragorn realised he did not know where to begin. He was so taken back by the events that morning and by the demonstration from earlier that day that Legolas had told him about, he simply did not know in which end to begin laying the puzzle.

"Aragorn?" Her voice brought him back to the present.

"I… what you did this morning I have never witnessed in my life. Where did you learn this? And why? For the life of me I do not understand! One minute you are this breathtaking lady wearing a dress, and the next you fight with skills I have never encountered before? What has happened to you Númi?"

The anger in his voice did not pass her by unnoticed and she tilted her head slightly to the right, her eyes burning with cold fire "Tell me, am I to interpret your anger as fear of me or simply jealousy due to the fact that I took your sword like a toothpick from a drunk?"

As shocked and utterly angered as Aragorn became from that hurtful remark he could not stare her down no matter how hard he tried. So he lowered his gaze knowing he had been unfair. She was right of course, he was angered and judgemental… but mainly because in his eyes she was still his baby cousin, and should not need to know these skills. And yes, he was both jealous and quite uncomfortable around her. "Forgive me, I have no right to be angered with you", he said, once again meeting her steel gaze. The fire in her eyes softened a bit when seeing the sincere apology in his "Nor do you have the right to judge me! If you wish to learn of my past then keep your mind open and your feelings at bay!"

Realizing this was an order and not a request he calmed himself down, and then with a sigh simply asked "Who taught you to fight like this?"

"I can not reveal their names, for that is bound to secrecy. But I can tell you that I have learned from many masters of different styles, mostly overseas. My personal style is blended, I use what technique is most efficient for the particular situation I find myself in. This is why it is so difficult to interpret my next move, I was taught to blend to stay alive…" her voice faded away and Aragorn noticed a glimmer of something close to lament in her eyes. He layed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture "Whom or what are you defending yourself against? How did it come to this Númi?" his voice now laden with a mixture of concern and guilt for leaving her to go to war so many years ago.

"Do not put blame upon yourself for my fate Aragorn; you could not have hindered the corse of my life even if you would have stayed by my side in Imladris. The reason for my training lays further back in time, the time my parents were murdered yet I was spared on the account of my fathers blood on a piece of parchment!" again her voice faded and the look in Aragorn's eyes shifted into that of shock and confusion.

"I see you know naught of this… which is as it should be, for I knew not myself until I came of age years ago. Only then did ada Elrond and Gandalf tell me the reason why I was deprived of my childhood and the right to live my life in freedom, instead of forced slavery for the rest of my days. For as free as I may seem Aragorn, my fathers act to spare my life bound me to serve the man whom murdered him…"

"I knew your parents were killed… but not by whom or why…"

"Why… I have asked myself that question countless times. As to who did it, his name is Drago and he is King in the Far East overseas."

The confusion in Aragorn's eyes shone like the stars that would soon be visible on the darkening skies. "Forgive me, for I do not follow… why were you spared? Slaves are common merchandise in the Far East, no?"

"Ai… beautiful, red haired Peredhells however are not. Drago wanted an unusually bewitching wife to raise his standing, hence he grasped the opportunity when seeing I would grow up to become such!" The poisonous touch to her voice and the hate displayed in her eyes were of a kind Aragorn had not believed Númi to posses. And it worried him deeply…

"Then why make you a warrior, it does not make sense?"

"Oh but Drago is not responsible for my training. In fact he knew nothing of it, until I was presented before him on the day of my coming of age, as was agreed. No, Gandalf is the one that made sure that I would be of no use as a wife, and by that spared me an even crueller fate then the one I am living… "

She thought of the day that she had first met Drago, the man she was supposed to marry. The sight of him had made her sick, and had she not had the training and therefore the strong psyche she was equipped with, she would have trembled with fear. The man was tall yet made of muscles, he had pitch black, long hair braided into one plait, and the features of his face were as sharp as had they been cut out of stone. His jaws had been clamped tightly together giving his already frightening appearance an even more unyielding countenance.

He had been the most handsome man she had ever seen, but the look in his black eyes had been the cruellest and most merciless she had ever come across. There was nothing but ice cold steel in his gaze as he stared at her from the throne he was positioned on. His main goal had been to stare her down, make her bend before him and subject herself to his mercy. Well this had not been the case… at all. She had stood tall before him staring back into those cruel eyes of his without as much as a tremble to her appearance, burning with a fire of hatred inside her heart. This had not passed by unnoticed as he had risen from his seat and walked straight up to her commanding her to bow in front of him. When she had not done so he had slapped her so hard her ears had rang, her face had jerked hard to her right side and the ring on his finger had torn up a nasty wound on her cheek. Yet she had not fallen to the floor, nor had she given a sound of the pain pounding in her face. She had merely straightened herself again, and continued staring into the cruelty of his gaze. He had stared in utter disbelief at her; this was not what he had expected from a mere woman her size. He spun on his heel and once back, sitting on his throne, he had ordered her to strip so he could take a better look at her. She had done so without any hesitation, and when seeing her strong, muscular body he had exploded in a horrifying outbreak. He had looked upon Gandalf with poison in his eyes letting everyone present know that this was not what they had agreed upon. Had it not been for the fact that Gandalf was a well know wizard, and that all his kind were feared by the people in the East, she would most likely been killed by Drago's bare hands a moment later. Disgusted with the sight of her, but not daring to kill her with the wizard present, he had let them both know that she was no good for marriage, yet he still owned her and would continue to do so. So in order for him to have any use what so ever of her, she would from that day forward be at his service as a warrior, killing at his will.

Once again looking into Aragorn's concerned eyes she continued "However, had Gandalf not been present when Drago's plans on my behalf failed, I would most likely been either killed on the spot or locked up to rot in the dungeons beneath the palace. Instead I am his assassin bound to kill whom ever he pleases, and fight any war he chooses to participate in. In between I am free to do as I wish as long as I follow the rules he has set for me. He owns me Aragorn, and the one way I can be rid of his tyranny is by death… and that is not a satisfaction I am willing to grant him!"

"_I would hope not..."_ Aragorn thought to himself, deeply troubled by what he had learned so far, and not to sure if he wished to learn the rest. Yet he felt obligated, and knowing his own

curiosity would not grant him any rest if he left the matter unfinished.

"You spoke of rules... may I ask what they are?"

"You may, however this is a question to which the answers are known only to me. I chose to make it so from the moment they were ordered upon me... and I intend to keep it that way" Baffled by the sudden sting of pain in her voice, Aragorn gently grasped her chin making her turn her head and look into his eyes. Not quite willing to let the matter rest he tried again "Númi... I am not just anyone. You can tell me anything you/"  
She frees herself from his loving grasp and the pain in her voice mixes with that of a plead and an order "Let it be Aragorn! It is of no ones business but mine..."

The sight of her obvious struggle to keep her upset feelings from overpowering her, makes Aragorn realise that this is the first time in days that he has seen anything other then strict, emotionless self-control in his cousin. What ever the rules are, they must cause her great pain... "Forgive me, I did not mean to upset you..."

"Ú-moe edhored Aragorn... dan avo pedinc i ad!

He nods once in agreement, understanding that the conversation will be over if he crosses the line once more.


	4. Chapter 3 part II

**Chapter 3. part II**.

After nearly two hours of sitting on pins, trying his damndest not to stare at the gates where Númi and Aragorn had departed, and trying even harder not to follow them,  
Legolas reason failed the battle against the will of his heart. He desperately wished to see her, just a glimpse would satisfy the ache he felt all over his body,  
especially around the area of his heart. He needed to feel her scent, fill his lungs with the irresistible fragrance that surrounded her entire being and much of the air around her.  
He simply had to catch a glance of her...  
No longer able to control himself he stood up and as if in trance made his way toward the open gates. Eówyn however, whom had, had her eyes on the Elven Prince the last hours  
picked up on the sudden change in his appearance even before he left the table, and quickly caught up with him half way. With a fast and strong hand on his left shoulder she  
hindered him from going any further.  
"Legolas!"  
The startled Elf jump high in surprise from the rude and sudden awakening, before turning to face her.

"Eówyn?" his voice did a poor job of hiding his chock.

"My friend, if you are thinking of sneaking out there to eavesdrop, or what ever other reason ye might have, hearken to me and do not! For if she detects your presence, she will  
never again give you as much as the time of day. I do not wish to see you hurt, so for both yer sakes thwart yerself."

The genuine surprise in the eyes of her Elven friend made Eówyn both amused and puzzled. Could it be that he was really not aware of his own feelings? Or did he believe himself  
able to hide them so well that none would notice? Which ever the reason the Elf looked truly bothered and mazed.

"I..." was all Legolas could bring himself to voice before he blushed terribly from the neck up.  
"How... how could you tell my intent?"

Eówyn looked deeply into his eyes and with a voice more serious then he had ever heard from her before she answered,

"As Númi's closest and most trusted friend I discern most of what concerns her that others may not perceive. And if it is of any comfort to you, not even I know of her past... and  
most likely never will! As to why she has chosen to let Aragorn know... well my one guess is that it is because he is her only still living true kin."

With this said she smiled and invited him to join her at Eómer's table, which he politely declined, and then she was gone leaving the blushing Elf to his thoughts.  
He realized off course that she had most likely hindered him from making an irreparable mistake that would have cost him dearly. The notion of what he had almost done made  
his beautiful face even redder, only this time from deep shame and anger over himself.

"_What am I striving at? If there is one thing that I do not do, is eavesdrop on private conversations. What ever evil force possessed me to act in thus heinous demeanour?"_

With a mixture of anger, shame and worry he turned and went up to his room, securely looking the door once inside. As if believing that this would hinder him to leave his  
quarters if that were in fact his desire...  
He lit a small fire and lied-down in bed in an attempt to sleep, however his thoughts granted him no rest. So after a few pointless hours of tossing and turning he sprang out of bed  
and seated himself on the window sill, trying to calm his restlessness. Finding that not even this seemed to grant him any solace, he tiredly decided to go for a walk.  
It was pitch black and quiet in the big hall, everyone had long ago gone to rest, so he would truly have the loneliness he craved for without having to walk to far. His thoughts  
were as dark as his surroundings, and grew darker by every event that shook his foundations concerning Númi.  
Why was he acting this way? He could not grasp it, every time he believed to have figured it out something new came to light and obliterated his assurance...  
Suddenly in the midst of his bothered chain of thoughts, he came to a brutal halt. For just outside of the gates a shadow was moving around, suspiciously none the least!  
He drew his blades and sharpened his hearing along with the rest of his senses, yet nor heard or felt anything alarming. In fact, he heard nothing at all... there was only the same  
complete silence as before.  
The first thing that came to the cautious Elf's mind was that there had to be a demon of some sort lurking around. He snuck as close to the open gates as he could manage without  
risking being caught, and blended with the shadows. Looking towards where the mysterious shadow was moving around, his Elven eyes quickly found their aim whereas he nearly  
dropped his knifes in surprise. For the moving shadow came not from a demon but from a woman dressed in an all white robe, so thin one could see the contours of the body inside it.  
She was hooded so he could not make out whom she was, but his immediate guess fell on Númi, and he was unable to tear his eyes of the beauty of her body. It was in every way  
perfectly shaped, hard and muscular yet still very much female.  
She was engaged in doing some sort of very slow movements that seemed to flow together in a never ending motion, like the flow of water. Every move done with perfection,  
and every single muscle following in the same smooth harmony. To the Elf this was no less then breathtaking, it was the most beautiful sight he had ever witnessed and he found  
himself frozen to the ground for the second time that day. Suddenly her pace quickened and she pulled out two long blades from somewhere underneath her robe, where she could  
possibly have hidden them was beyond the bewildered Elf.  
Embarking in a different set of motions, even more advanced then before, she began dancing around the fire bending her body in ways Legolas earlier had believed to be impossible,  
while at the same time cutting through the air with the blades in an impressive speed.  
Her pace just kept increasing and combined with the jumps through the air her performance gave the illusion that she was moving around more in the air then on the ground.  
Legolas could only gape, and to his utter surprise he suddenly realised that what she was doing was actually combat techniques. Paying even more attention to what she was actually  
doing he slowly began to understand why she had the huge admiration and respect of her trainees.

_"Where and from whom has she secured skills like these? No one I have heard of from these lands has ever seen or heard of anything close to what she is performing... Who are you Númi?  
So fair, yet so impossible to get close to... like fire and ice combined. A warrior in a bewitching woman's disguise... untouchable to all. Why?"_

It also dawned on him why he had not heard anything when sharpening his ears earlier, Númi did not make a single sound even at the pace she was presently keeping.

_"How in the name of Valar does she manage that?"_

And suddenly it was over, she landed crouched after a twisted jump straightening her arms to her sides parallel with her shoulders, the blades pointing in a deadly angle straight out  
from her hands, her head bowed facing the stone floor at her foot and knee. She sat like that for a while panting silently, holding the blades as motionless as possible while her muscles  
must have been screaming from the lactic acid pumping through them.  
Slowly she rose putting the blades away before bowing to all four cardinal points and slowly caressing the hood of her head. She then turned and looked straight at the hidden elf.  
Her steady gaze immediately found his eyes, and gave him a sense of being pierced through all of his protective walls which he had built around himself since early childhood,  
all the way into the darkest corners of his soul. The sudden notion was like a merciless blow to his solar plexus and all air left his lungs in an instant, granting him no chance to draw  
a single breath. He felt as if being choked by an ice cold invisible par of hands tightening around his throat.

"_How can she possible have known that I am standing here?"_

He knew he had made no sound what so ever sneaking into and blending with the pitch black darkness close to the gates. In fact, how was it even possible that she saw him,  
staring straight into his eyes, when he himself hardly saw his own two hands in front of him in the deep darkness?  
The choking sensation was slowly vanishing along with the smile that was beginning to grace Númi's lips.

"So it is You whom believe to be able to sneak up on me unnoticed!"

He found himself unable to speak let alone move a muscle.

"Hannon le, for not disturbing my training, now please, do not lurk around in the shadows like a haunted ghost any longer, but come join me by the fire Legolas."

The piercing gaze in her eyes had completely vanished and was now replaced with a genuine kindness and warmth that seemed to relax the uneasiness Legolas had felt but  
a moment ago. Slowly he stepped out from the darkness and approached her, stopping at a respectful distance a few feet in front of her. Bowing his head in forgiveness he said,

"Goheno nîn, im naitya... it was not my intent to gander..."  
His voice was low and full of shame and regret. In contrast hers was gentle as she spoke,

"Is that what you were doing? And if so...why?"

The last words said with a hint of a smile in her voice.  
Legolas could hardly bring himself to look at her in his embarrassed state, yet forced himself to meet her eyes.

"I... I could not tear my self from the sight... it was the most beautiful performance ever to grace my eyes..." feeling himself blushing he hastily lowered his gaze  
to the ground between them again.  
Númi walked up to him, and standing really close to the Elf, gently put her hands around his face lifting it, forcing their eyes to lock. The softness of her touch  
made him weak-kneed.

"Ú-moe edored Legolas... please do not be ashamed when there is no need to be. I am neither angered nor offended, you are a friend and therefore welcome to watch."

The gentleness of her touch, the beating of her pulse generating through her hands and the closeness between their bodies; so close... yet not close enough to touch the other;  
made Legolas realise just how desperately he wished to kiss her at that moment. The notion frightened him, yet his entire being ached for her and all he could do was go with  
the urge and need he felt. Much to his surprise he picked up on the feeling that she wished the same, and reading her confirmed that her entire being ached just as much for his  
touch... they both felt it in the other.  
Just as gently as she had touched him she withdrew her hands from his face, softly letting them rest on his chest where his pounding heart layed, feeling its fast yet steady beating  
through his shirt and vest. Still gazing into the deepness and emotions playing in their eyes the Elven Prince could no longer resist the passion and an even stronger unknown feeling  
boiling up inside him.  
He raised his hand and ever so gently caressed her hair, feeling the tiny shiver of pleasure going through her body in response to his touch. His caress continued its slow, soft motion  
along her jaw line and halted first when it reached her chin. His eyes were filled with fervour, hers with intense hunger. Slowly he leaned closer to her face only pausing when their  
noses met and he felt her warm breath on his skin. Both of their hearts were now racing, and a look of immense longing for the other one was mirroring in their eyes. Legolas continued  
his motion towards her lips when a sudden glimmer of fear showed up in her eyes, and just as their lips were about to meet, Númi hastily turned her face away whilst gently pushing him  
a few inches away from herself.

"Please... do not... we can not do this..." her whisper was barley hearable and her voice was trembling from withheld emotions.  
When she looked back into his eyes her gaze was so full of pain and sadness that it stung Legolas right in the heart. A shocked surprise was written all over his face, and his eyes  
were filled with both concern and agony.

"Why? Did I do something that displeased you? I believed you wished this as much as I... I felt your longing... was I wrong?"

She could hear the pain behind the words and saw the hurt in his eyes. His pain tormented her even worse then what she was already experiencing.

"I..." She could not bear to tell him the truth seeing what devastation her denial had already caused.

"Forgive me..."

And before Legolas had a chance to react she flew over the fire releasing her robe from her body and jumping over the edge of the terrace down to the grass below.  
Without thinking he followed her, with no intention of letting her out of his sight. Jumping gracefully down from the same edge he caught her robe in the air and landed softly on his feet,  
scouting the area around him with the precise and accurate eyes of a hunter.  
However Númi was nowhere to be seen, desperately he used all of his senses trying to locate her whereabouts, yet failed miserably. It was like she had been swallowed by the earth itself.

"Why Númi... why..."he whispered to the emptiness surrounding him. His hand went to his heart and a grimace of intense pain shadowed his face.

Númi, whom was standing only a few feet away from him, shielded from all his senses and melted together with the shadows of the stonewall, saw and felt his pain as if it had been her own.  
Biting her lip not to scream out loud from the sudden heartache Legolas felt, all she wished to do was comfort him and tell him the reason why she had acted the way she had.  
But she stayed put, torturing both herself and Legolas till he finally began to walk away with slow steps and a slumped body posture. And once he was finally gone she allowed her feelings to  
take the best of her, and she slowly sank down with her back still against the stonewall. Once seated she clenched her arms around her legs and with her head resting on her knees she silently wept...


	5. About Mary Sue

I am a huge fan of LOTR, and aspecially of Legolas.  
So therefor my story's will mostly revolve around him in a slightly different way, even if this so far have meant a few very harsh  
words from some my readers, notable though is that most of my comments are positive!

I like criticism don't get me wrong, however this Mary Sue bashing is strongly  
getting on my nervs!

I agree with the fact that I tend to describe my characters in superlative, but hey, its MY story and I am writing  
it for my sake and with MY words!  
If that is not to some readers liking, that is fine by me!  
Unlike some other VERY good writers whom have become so hurt by thus Mary Sueish comments that they  
have stop writing(!) altogether; which btw makes me both bewildered, saddened and VERY angry;  
I will NOT change my story nor will I change my character!

So for all of you Mary Sue lovers do not even bother to try!  
If you do not like my character or my story DON'T READ IT, simple no?

Second... is this not fiction?  
So what exactly is it in a character that needs to be "realistic"?  
Is it not ones feelings and way of relating to others that makes one realistic, and not their powers?  
No matter if they be warrior, magician, dwarf, Elf, vampire or mortal?

Enough said on this matter, for all of you whom read my story I hope you enjoy it, and if not, take my words  
above to heart before commenting!

/Monie


End file.
